Transmission-control device for motor-vehicles



s. w. FINCH AND E. M. KENNARD. TRANSMISSION CONTROL DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED 1401.5. 1920.

Patnted 001 4, 1921.

UNI TE.D STATES,

STANLEY W. FINCH,

"PATENT O F CE or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA, AND" xmrmmn, or CLARENDON, 'VIRGINIA.

EDWARD M.

- mnmsmrssromcon'rnoii DEVICE roe; MOTOR-VEHICLES. y

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, STANLEYVW. FINCH and ED ARD M. K NNARD, citizens of the residing, respectively, at Washington, lDistrict of Columbia, and

United States Clarendon, county of Arlington, State of Virgina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Transmission-Control Devices for Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification,

This invention pertains pedal-lever controlling mechanism and is designed more particularly for use in conjunction withthe high and low gear foot pedal employed upon the Ford car, the structure being designed to hold the pedal infneutral position.

Inthe operation of an automobile wherein a single, pedal controlled lever is employed to throw the engine into low or high gear, the operator of the machine, particularly if he be a beginner, is apt to stall the engine by. allowing the lever, to pass from the neu-' tral position (intermediate the high and low positions) back into high. Such stalling oftentimes leads to series consequences. The present invention has for itsobject the production of a simple and effectivede-' vieewhichrmay' be readilyattached to the foot-board of a car of the type above specified, the device being such that it will function with the lever without change or alteration in any part of the machine to arrest and hold the lever in neutral position until released.

The invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings, wherein,-

Figure l is a perspective view of one form of the device shown in operative relation to a pedal-lever, the latter being in the neutral position'intermediate high and low;

Fig. 2 an end elevation showing the position of the parts when the lever is in high Fig. 3 a perspective view of the control device;

Fig. 4 a similar view thereof; and a Fig. 5 an end elevation showing a slightly modified arrangement.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, 1 denotes the foot-board of an automobile and 2 the pedal actuated lever. In Fig. 1 the lever is shown in its intermediate neutral position; when pushed forward, it

of the base 1 plate throws the engine in low gear, and when to. an improved Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 0013. 1921.} Application filed November 5, 1920. Serial No. 421,946.

itis allowed to swing rearwardly to the po sition in Fig. Q'the' engine is in high. The control mechanism or device for holding the lever in neutralmay be said'to comprise a base-plate, a swinging bail or frame to which latter is attached a locking arm which functions with the foot-lever 2.;and a pedal through which the bail maybe actuated in one direction, a spring being employed to move it in the opposite direction. The base plate, see Fig. 4, is formed'of a single piece of plate metal, bent to form, and

opposite end there is.provided a lever or arm 12,the' extremity of which isbent laterally at right angles producing a stop finger or lug 13. Said stop finger, when" the parts are positioned, stands in thepath of lever 1 and abutssquarely against the same when the parts arein the position shown in Fig. 1. Crossbar 10 has secured to itv adjacent the ear 11, a pedal or lever 14, the lower end whereof, as at 15, extends below the bar and "contacts the base 3,forming' in effect a stop to limit the rearward swinging movement of the swinging frame.

position of stop fin er 13, with reference'to lever 52, may be regu ated to effect the square abutment of the finger against the lever. The positionor angularity of the pedal in neutral varies in different cars and by this By bending this extension 15 one way or another. the

simple means the parts may be readily fitted.

A coiled spring 16, the main body whereof encircles the rod 9 has one end contacting lever pedal 14 and its opposite end hooked around the upstanding end 4, the spring acting to hold leverl l in its elevated position with the arm 12 at right angles to lever 2 and the finger 13 in line with the lever.

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, the lever 2 is held in neutral; forward movement of the lever to low gear position is not precludedbut,a slight touch nap-m W of the foot upon lever 14 will carry finger 13 downwardly so that lever 2 may move rearwardly into high gear position when the parts will assume the relation disclosed in Fig. 2, arm 12 passing down through the slot in the foot-board. When passing from high to neutral all the operator has to do is to move the lever 2 forward and the arm 12 will swing upwardly carrying fingers 13 into locking relation.

In Fig. 5 a slightly different relative arrangement of the partsis illustrated. In this instance pedal 1 1 when depressed carries arm 12 downwardly and finger 13 into locking relation with lever 2; the only difference in structure being one of angular relation be tween pedal 14 and the arm 12 of the swinging bail or frame. Forward movement of the lever 2 will release the finger and the spring will throw the arm 12 upwardly so that lever 2 will clear the same and move back into high gear position.

Under the preferredconstruction, shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the device comes into action when the transmission control lever 2 is moved forwardly from high to intermediate and prevents the accidentalrearwardmovement of said lever with the consequent stalling of the motor. With the construction shown in Fig. 5 the lever 2 may be thrown into neutral position by merely depressing pedal-lever 141. Moreover, under both constructions the lever is held in true neutral and prevents undue wear of the parts which occurs when the operator seeks to hold the,

lever in neutral position by his foot. 1t likewise does away with the operation of the shifting of the hand lever found upon F 0rd cars, which is employed by many drivers for holding the lever in neutral. 1

In congested tratlic, with the car standing still it oftenbecomes necessary for one to back his car owing to the fact that the car ahead is hacked, and having the, lever 2 in true neutral enables the operator to throw the spring.

the lever; a spring acting torockl the frame" upwardly; and a foot lever secured to'the' frame for moving thesame in opposition to 2. In a device for holding the transmission lever of an automobile in neutral position, the combination of a baseplate having up standing ears at opposite ends; arod mounted in said ears; a bail-shaped membersupportedon said rod, saidmember having an extended arm-at one end, and a finger ex tending ilat'erally from thejarm; a spring tending; to swing the bail shaped 'member rearwardly; and apedal lever'securedto the bail.

3. In a device for holding the transmission lever of an automobile inneutral position, the combination of a base platehaving upstanding earsat opposite ends; a rod mounted in'said ears; a -bail-shapedmember sup= ported on said rod, said member having an. extended arm at one end of thecross-bar thereof, and a finger extending laterally from the arm; a spring tending to swing the bail shaped member rearwardly; and a pedal leversecured to the cross bar of thebail, the lower end of the pedal lever contactin the base plate and'serving as a stopto limit the swinging movement of the bail underaction of the spring.

In testimony s ANLEY W. FINCH. P 1EDWARD M. KENNARD whereof we havej signed our names to this s eeification. 

